Though it is not part of the Commission’s
mandate to study electoral reform or to recommend changes to the current
electoral system, there were a number of submissions on this topic in the
public consultation process. Reforming the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral
system was suggested as a means of improving Nova Scotia’s representative
democracy, by more accurately translating voter preferences into seats in the
legislature. The distortions introduced by the current system, whereby only one
member can be elected per constituency, with no allowance made for popular vote
totals, can be a disincentive to political participation. This happens because
all votes for losing candidates are, in effect, “thrown out,” and only those
cast for the winning candidate in each riding count in terms of electing a
representative. Some element of proportional representation is recommended as a
means to “make every vote count.”

Another rationale for electoral system reform
concerns the difficulty of ensuring minority representation under the FPTP
system. As noted above, this has become clear in the current electoral redistribution
process with regard to Acadian and African Nova Scotian representation. The
same point could be made for the small number of women elected to the
legislature. Comparative literature on this topic clearly shows that political
systems using some form of proportional representation perform better than FPTP
systems in terms of minority and female representation in elected legislatures.
The use of party lists, quotas, designated seats, and other mechanisms in
proportional systems largely accounts for these differences. As well, the
dynamics of the system, which tend toward coalition building, would promote more
co-operation and accommodation among parties in terms of the legislative
agenda.

There appear to be significant democratic
benefits to be gained from incorporating some measure of proportional
representation into the current FPTP electoral system. This no doubt explains
why this option has been recommended by commissions and assemblies in a number
of provinces over the past decade. The most popular recommendation in Canada
has been to replace the FPTP electoral system with some form of mixed-member proportional (MMP) system, which combines some of the advantages of the
existing single-member constituencies with greater proportionality.

Recommendation

The Commission is aware
that the serious consideration and recommendation of alternative electoral
systems is beyond its mandate. It is also cognizant that the adoption of a new
electoral system represents a dramatic change to one of Nova Scotia’s key
political institutions. It therefore suggests that the Nova Scotia Legislature initiate
a process involving both extensive critical examination and public consultation
on the current electoral system as well as possible alternatives to it."

The belt of 11 ridings outside the GTA
from Leeds—Grenville to Simcoe—Grey and Muskoka serves well to show the need.
In the 2011 election Conservative votes cast 53% of those votes and elected 91%
of those 11 MPs. NDP voters cast 21% and elected no one. Liberal voters cast
19% of those votes but, thanks to them being concentrated in Kingston, elected
one MP. Green Party voters cast 5%. Under the model recommended by the Law Commission of Canada in 2004, with seven local MPs and four regional MPs, if
Liberal voters still elected one local MP, the results would have been six
local Conservative MPs, one local Liberal MP, 2 regional NDP MPs, one regional
Liberal MP, and one regional Green MP (assuming the highest remainder
calculation method).The regional MPs for
each party would have been the party’s regional candidates who got the most
regional votes.

Will the current Federal Boundaries
Commissions consider making a similar recommendation? We can always ask.

About Me

Although I am a member of Fair Vote Canada's Council at the federal level, the views expressed on this blog are my own.
I have been a lawyer since 1971, an elected school trustee from 1982 to 1994, past chair of the Board of the Northumberland Community Legal Centre, and so on.